


Rumor Has It

by principessa1227



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Amortentia, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Heavy Petting, Height Differences, Humor, Kissing, Love/Hate, Not Canon Compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-21
Updated: 2020-11-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:02:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27653822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/principessa1227/pseuds/principessa1227
Summary: The Sixth Years are brewing Amorentia and both Draco and Hermione are taken aback by what theirs smell like.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy
Comments: 19
Kudos: 258





	Rumor Has It

**Author's Note:**

> I normally stay away from magical tropes like this but of COURSE it came to me instead of me working on the other WIP I have going on so, here we are. Enjoy my mess.

Draco groaned as he lit the flame under his cauldron. He was so tired from his work in the Room of Hidden Things the night before.

Theo nudged him. "Alright?"

"I was in the Room last night," he murmured. 

"Ah. Any progress?"

He shook his head somberly.

Theo sighed and patted him on the shoulder.

A chalkboard at the front of the classroom bore the name of their new potion assignment and the page number for which the instructions could be found.

"I'll grab the ingredients for the table," he announced quietly, while everyone was flipping through their books.

Blaise looked up and watched him move away from the table.

"What's with him?"

Theo shook his head. "He's taken on too much. His father really fucked him this time."

"Amorentia," Draco sneered as he yanked open the door to the supply closet, "Whose brilliant mind decided to have a bunch of hormone ridden sixth years brew a fucking-"

He stopped when he locked eyes with a person already gathering ingredients inside. Hermione Granger stood in front of one of the cupboards, robeless, with her sleeves rolled and an ingredients basket looped over her arm, resting in the crook of her elbow.

"Pardon, Granger," he huffed as the door closed behind him, grabbing a basket of his own from the floor and moving around her to search for what he needed.

She stepped back and watched him carefully. He found the peppermint and rose thorns quickly, but couldn't locate the vials of powdered moonstone.

"They're whole," she informed him softly.

He looked over his shoulder at her with a raised brow.

"The moonstone," she clarified, pointing to the label on a higher shelf, "Slughorn doesn't grind them and put them in jars like Snape used to. They're whole."

He followed her finger and saw the large collection of the pearly rocks.

"Thanks." He reached up and easily grabbed some decent sized ones for his partners and small vials to store whatever of the powder they didn't use. 

She scowled, then eyed the glass and he shook them at her. "In case we don't use it all, don't want to throw out perfectly good powder."

"Ah, smart.

He bristled, "I've been known to _be_ that from time to time, Granger."

She had the grace to blush a little and for some Gods forsaken reason, he liked the way it looked on her face.

_I really need to get some fucking sleep._

He shook his head and moved to leave. Just as he reached the handle, he glanced over his shoulder.

" _What_ are you _doing_?"

She jumped and the shelf she was clinging to rattled the jars of ingredients stored there.

"I need the moonstone," she sniffed, then resumed her attempt at climbing.

She was too short to reach the upper shelves.

"For Salazar's sake," he spat, turning around and grabbing her by the waist. 

For a moment, he was utterly lost. He hadn't realized she was that _small_ ; that her skin was that _supple_ under her stocky uniform shirt; that her hair was that long, that _soft,_ as it tickled his chin; that her bum was that _round_ under her frumpy skirts; that she smelled like vanilla and some kind of floral scent he couldn't place because his teenage brain was starting to short circuit.

"Un _hand_ me, Malfoy, you _git!_ "

And then the moment ended and he dropped her unceremoniously to her feet. He reached up and grabbed a handful of stones.

"Next. Time. Use. Your. Wand. Witch." each word was punctuated with the sound of a stone hitting the bottom of her basket.

"I left my wand in my robe pocket and didn't want to go back out there to get it, I was perfectly fine climbing-"

"Imagine if you had lost your footing and I wasn't still here. That whole cupboard could have fallen on you and all the jars of ingredients could have broken."

She scoffed, "I'm not _that_ unbalanced, Malfoy. If you had just _left_ and not startled me, I would have been fine."

He dragged a hand down his face and once again made his leave. 

"Stubborn witch," she heard him hiss under his breath as she followed him out.

"Slimy git," she spat back before splitting off from him to join her friends.

She slammed the basket onto the table.

"Alright, Hermione?" Harry prodded, noticing her sour face.

"Fine. Turn on your flame, get to grinding this moonstone," she snapped, practically throwing the stones and a pestle and mortar at him.

He fumbled to catch the items, utterly bewildered, and looked at Ron, who shrugged.

They both watched as she took her own pestle and mortar and started bruising the peppermint flower heads.

"Who got her knickers in a twist?" Ron whispered.

Harry scanned the room and noticed Malfoy just setting his ingredients out on his table.

_Hmm..._

Draco went about preparing his peppermint. His water was ready.

"Mate," Theo whispered, "Potter is glaring daggers at you."

He glanced up and saw that Potter was indeed staring. He then dared to peek at Granger, who was visibly flustered and angrily beating whatever was in her mortar.

He chuckled lightly and went back to his work.

When he was finished adding his ingredients and his potion seemed to be on the right track, he covered and levitated the cauldron to the dark space Slughorn had cleared for them.

Granger was making her way over, her cauldron floating steadily behind her. 

"Remember your wand then?" he quipped, carefully helping his cauldron down and putting a sticking charm on the silk cloth.

His name magically appeared on the side of the cauldron, labeling it.

She rolled her eyes and brandished her wand, setting her cauldron right next to his. The sides touched and made a dull _ding_ ; his potion sloshed slightly inside

He glared and she smiled.

"Oops." 

She left him there, the scent of her shower products lingering behind.

 _Lavender_ , he realized.

* * *

Over the course of the next seven days, Draco found himself always running into Granger when he went to stir his potion.

She went to the dungeons at the start of her free period before heading to the library; the exact thing he did.

They'd arrive at the classroom around the same time, he'd let her walk in first and she'd give him a slight nod. They'd move the coverings from their cauldrons, stir once, place the silk back, and leave. He'd, of course, let her out the door first and stay a few paces behind her as they walked to the library.

She always disappeared towards the back and he settled at a table near the doors.

Occasionally, he would venture back to where she was just to watch her. He blamed it on his lack of sleep, but he found something about her concentrating, flipping through various texts with no robe, her hair piled onto her head, scribbling furiously on parchment, oddly soothing.

He stood behind a bookcase, pretending to read the tome he'd pulled down, and watched her stop writing suddenly. She was rapidly reading over something on the parchment and looking between it and the book beside her. The quill she was using slipped between her lips and Draco could not stop himself from focusing on them.

And then she bolted from the table, quill forgotten and papers fluttering.

"What in Merlin's name?" He set the book in front of the shelf and it floated up into place.

He followed her, keeping himself behind as many stacks as possible before finally catching up. That's when he saw her on her tiptoes, trying to grasp the spine of a book.

"Bollocks," she cursed. The book she needed to complete the extra credit Arithmancy problem was just a tad too high and she left her wand at the table. 

She looked around to make sure no one could see and put her foot on the bottom shelf to hoist herself.

He smirked and rounded the corner.

" _Again_ , Granger?"

"Oh!" she gasped and her foot slipped, making her stumble. She clutched the shelf so she didn't fall as she steadied herself back on the ground.

" _Damn you_ , Malfoy!"

He leaned against the shelf and inspected his fingernails.

"Tsk, tsk, Golden Girl. One of these days you're going to fall on your arse."

 _That arse, I want to touch it-_ Merlin, _Draco, take yourself to bed for a damned nap._

She turned on him as he exited his mental reprieve. "Only if _you_ keep _startling_ me!"

He let out a light laugh that surprised her. It was nothing like the bitter sounds usually coming from him when he teased her and her friends.

And he was _smiling_.

"So you _do_ possess the ability to be happy," she remarked.

His expression changed faster than she could blink and he moved in on her, trapping her back to the shelf. 

She always hated the comparison of a moment to "time slowing", but she lacked the words to describe what was happening as she felt Malfoy's front pressed into her. It wasn't even ten seconds, and she couldn't help but look up to marvel at the height of him; shiver at the hardness of him, the _scent_ of him- the apples he always snacked on, and something icy like menthol.

_Good Godric, when did green apples become appealing? I hate being a teenager._

He sneered down at her and reached above her head, grabbing the text with ease and shoving it into her chest.

"Stop climbing things. You're a witch with a wand. Use it. Or, since you're so brilliant that you _forget_ your magical tools, learn some wandless magic."

And then he was gone, leaving her clutching the book to her person like her life depended on it.

* * *

The final day he avoided her at all costs.

He stood at his spot at the table with his cauldron on low heat as Slughorn told the class to add in their frozen Ashwinder eggs when their potions were warmed up.

Draco put one and immediately the vapors from the potion began to take on a scent. He inhaled and choked.

 _Vanilla._ Fucking _vanilla._

Theo thumped him on the back and he smacked his hands away.

"I'm fine," he croaked.

Hermione looked up at the commotion across the room when Harry and Ron began snickering beside her.

"It must stink like Parkinson," Ron managed to get out between titters and Harry covered his face.

"Idiots," she muttered, carefully putting in the first of her own eggs.

She waited for the potion to give her something.

It was subtle at first. It smelled like the library, books and parchment. She smiled. The next egg made the vapors more intense and added freshly mowed grass to the mix.

 _This is nice._ She looked at Ron before adding the final egg in, assuming she'd get something specifically attuned to him, and froze.

_Apples. Green apples. Cold, green apples._

Without thinking, her gaze landed on Malfoy, who was scowling at his potion while he stirred.

_How could I possibly find him attractive?_

She decided his bone structure was sharp, but not in a pointed way like it had been a few years before- it was more chiseled and archaic. His hair was a ridiculous shade of blonde, but it suited him due to the pale essence of his skin. The hardness she felt under his clothes had to be from playing Quidditch, which she didn't understand how he maintained it when he hadn't played so far that year. He was smart, always right on her heels in their classes and spent time _willingly_ in the library-

_Oh, for the love of Circe._

She wondered if he knew. Watching him then, she figured he might.

 _This isn't right,_ he thought bitterly, _vanilla, old books, lavender. It's all_ her. _I don't even find her_ remotely _attractive._

He met her stare from across the room.

Draco considered her overall appearance was unrefined- hair frizzed from the humidity and potion fumes; sleeves rolled up haphazardly exposing her soft looking skin; nose scrunched and dusted with freckles; eyes that glowed like honey in the sunlight and sparkled with determination-

 _Bollocks. She's not_ completely _hideous._

"Now, students, don't forget to add the charmed dragon's blood I've provided so, if brewed correctly, your potion will turn pearlescent. Can't have you all using real magical blood. We want no accidental swooning! Remove from the heat _immediately_ , if you please."

Hermione added her blood, flicked her wand so her cauldron hovered above the table, and blew out her flame.

Slughorn came to inspect hers first. 

"What a beautiful shade, Ms. Granger. And your vapors are coming up strong! Splendid job."

She smiled broadly as he moved on to Harry and Ron. 

"Looking a little dull there, Wallaby. Perhaps too much peppermint. Ah, Harry, my boy! A perfect pearl! Excellent!"

Hermione's expression shrank a little and she glared at a sheepish looking Harry, who slammed his book shut.

Slughorn waddled his way over to Draco and his friends.

"Very nice, Mr. Zabini. And you too, Nott."

He rounded Draco's side.

"Truly a beautiful color, Mr. Malfoy. It's almost the exact color as Ms. Granger's. It gives off a wonderful amount of vapor. Do you smell anything in particular?"

Draco tried to keep his urge to throttle the portly man under control and couldn't stop himself from once again flicking to the brunette across the classroom.

"Vanilla, books, lavender," he mumbled.

"What pleasant scents," Slughorn hummed, moving on to the next group.

At the end of the class, Slughorn waved his wand and the cauldrons emptied.

"See you all next time, excellent work!"

Hermione took her time packing up while Harry and Ron practically sprinted out the door.

She kept an eye on Malfoy through her peripheral; he too was taking his time gathering his things and talking quietly with his friends.

When he finally made his way out of the room behind Zabini and Nott, she counted to three before following. She saw the two Slytherin round a corner up ahead and assumed Malfoy had ended up in front of them.

She began to pass a broom closet, thinking of how she was going to confront Malfoy and ask what he smelled when she was yanked backward and into the closet.

Inside was the glow of a wand and she was staring into the face of-

" _Malfoy_."

"What did you smell, Granger?" he demanded. 

"How _dare_ you yank me into a cupboard and talk to me like-"

Draco growled and shook her shoulders. "I need to know what your potion smelled like, you ridiculous witch."

" _Why_?"

" _BECAUSE_ -" He stopped and took a slow breath, "because I need to know," he repeated softly.

"Let go of me, Malfoy, and I'll tell you-"

He released her and visibly relaxed. Hermione adjusted her robes.

"-if you tell _me_ what _you_ smelled."

He immediately tensed. "But-"

She crossed her arms.

" _Fine_ , you bloody pixie, just _tell_ me."

"Parchment, fresh grass, and cold apples."

"Cold apples?"

"Like, the bite of a green apple on a cold winter day."

He eyed her wearily, "That's...oddly specific."

"I'm aware. Now, what about you?"

"Books, lavender, and _vanilla_."

"Lavender and- _my shower gel and shampoo_?"

"Well, _you_ smelled _my_ favorite fruit."

" _Mixed_ with menthol- wait do you _smoke_ menthols while you eat your apples, Malfoy?"

"Granger, that's none of your-"

Her hands went to the front of his robes and she patted around until she felt a small, square package at his inside breast pocket.

"I _knew_ it," she hissed, starting to reach into his pocket.

He grabbed her wrists in one of his large hands and squeezed.

"You'll speak of this to _no one_."

"Which part?" she challenged.

He pulled her closed into his body and leaned down until he was a hair from her face. "All of it."

And then he did something that surprised them both- he pressed his lips firmly to hers and let his free hand wander down the curves he knew she was hiding. 

Less than five seconds later, he tore himself away.

She stared dumbfounded as he ripped open the door and stormed out.

* * *

Weeks went by and he didn't bother her. All his free time was spent in the Room.

She began to wonder what had happened to him, and she was sick of hearing Harry prattle on about how Malfoy was disappearing from the castle all the time.

One night, on prefect patrol, she strayed away from her partner when she reached the 7th floor. She was thinking about him again.

His kiss was short, but harsh and demanding, and she wanted to hate him for taking it from her, but she _couldn't_ . She _liked_ being against him in that way; she _liked_ feeling his hands on her; she _like_ not having to take control-

 _Get a grip, Granger_ , she scolded silently.

Then she heard something- a quiet sort of sob and hushed whispers behind a tapestry. She approached carefully and lit her wand tip quietly before pulling the material aside.

Peering into the alcove, her wand light illuminated a figure. Feature by feature came slowly into view. Blonde hair, pale skin, and angry grey eyes surrounded by deep purple circles.

"Malfoy? Are you alright?"

"No, no, no," he whispered, looking around behind her to see if she was alone.

She stepped in fully and let the tapestry fall back into place. Draco slammed his back into the stone wall and slid down it, covering his face with his hands. Hermione sat opposite him, careful not to let her knees touch him so he wasn't startled.

They sat like that for a while until she heard him take a steady breath and finally raise his head.

"Would you like to talk about it?"

"No, Granger. And even if I wanted to, I couldn't. Least of all to _you_."

She nodded. "Would you like me to go?"

He sighed, reaching into his pocket and taking out the square box she'd felt on his person all that time ago. "You don't have to go, but you also don't have to stay."

Magically, the cigarette lit as soon as he put it to his lips.

"So. You caught the menthol in your potion."

"I did. I wasn't sure it was actually cigarettes but-"

"But it was that icy taste that you picked out. Interesting."

A few moments passed before she finally found her nerve.

"About that kiss-"

"What about it?" He took one final drag and then ground the cigarette into the stone beside him.

"Well, it was-"

"Not my finest work. Sorry about that, but I _was_ in a hurry that day."

"That's _not_ what I meant-"

He got to his feet and brushed his palms on his slacks. She scrambled to stand, but he grabbed her hand and yanked her into him.

"You have a habit of manhandling me, Malfoy."

He gave her a sideways grin and stepped forward, making her step back and hit the wall.

"Sorry, Granger. You're just so _small_."

"Hmm, yes, I recall the last time you had me in an enclosed space you referred to me as a 'bloody pixie.

His light laugh tickled her face. "Oh, remembered that, did you?"

"Yes, I felt quite light on my feet afterwards."

He let go of her and used just his body to keep her pinned to the wall, then he leaned down and kissed her.

It was softer than the first time, she noted, but still demanding. The taste of the cigarette wasn't entirely unpleasant and she found herself drinking it in. He took exactly what he wanted- putting his hands under her robes but over her uniform.

She finally, _finally_ , let herself thread her fingers through the hairs at the back of his neck and felt a thrill when he shuddered.

He pressed harder then, softly groaning in her mouth at the feel of her breasts against his chest.

"Granger," he sighed, lightly kissing her throat, "I've been thinking about your arse since that day in the supply closet-"

" _Honestly_ , Malfoy-" 

"I'm saying so so you don't hex my bollocks off for this."

"For _what_ -"

He covered her mouth with his again and slid his hands down her sides before moving to her lower back. Her breath caught as he finally stopped on her bum, gently squeezing over her skirt.

" _Malfoy_ ," she couldn't help herself and pressed her hips forward into his, where she felt his hardness clearly.

He pulled back to attack her throat once more. 

"One time, Granger, just say my name _one_ time-"

He twisted slightly so he could properly grind against her and she gasped, loudly, before grabbing his face with both hands and kissing him forcefully.

Using his grip on her arse, he pressed their lower halves closer still and she let her head fall back. He took the opportunity to lick up her neck to below her ear.

" _Draco_."

"Gods, _yes_."

He kissed her mouth a final time, then stepped away, allowing them both to catch their breath.

She pressed herself into the wall, almost wishing it would swallow her. She didn't _want_ it to be over and that scared her.

His hands were fists at his sides, fighting ever part of him that wanted to grab her and take her fully.

"Did I do better this time, Granger?"

"I suppose."

"Good enough for me." 

They stared for just a moment more.

"Goodnight then, Malfoy."

And she bolted before he could remind her not to tell anyone.

 _That cannot happen again_ , she told herself, pounding through the corridors until she reached the safety of her tower.

 _I have to have_ _her again_ , he decided, pacing in front of the wall, waiting for the doors of the Room to appear.


End file.
